Actually finished a non-Steamcon related garment. This was a black and white rayon skirt I found at a yard sale. It was a pull on skirt, but too small for me. I took the band off, threw it in some purple dye when I mixed up way too much for the little piece of lace I wad dying, put in a zipper, and finally put the snap and hook & eye on today.

And check out the product card the snaps are on. This is something that was in my mom's stuff, no telling how old it is.
Well, for some reason Blogger is not letting me upload another image. I have no idea why. I guess I'll try putting that picture in another post... first bringing images from Picasa went away; now this?

Thursday, November 11, 2010

At over 500 pages and a color photograph of each plant, this is book gives a wealth of information on each plant- a detailed description right down to the number of sepals and stamens, what it’s soil, sun/shade, altitude and drainage preferences are, where it’s native range is, propagation, and any special notes. Divided into sections of ferns, conifers, annuals, perennials and trees & shrubs, the plants are then arranged alphabetically. At the end of the book are lists of plants for special situations- drought tolerant, for bogs, to attract birds, butterflies and hummingbirds, for erosion control.

Because it’s not arranged by flower color like the Taylor’s guide is (and also because of its size) it’s not a handy field guide, but a book to sit down with at home and read. It has an extensive range- from the California redwood area on up into Alaska- so a lot of the plants won’t be found in our area. But if you are interested in using native plants, this is an excellent book. It will help you to not just find and grow the plants, but to grow them well. And because of the sheer number of plants in it, it’s a fun guide once you have some idea what you’re looking for. For instance, that clematis I’ve seen along the Clark Fork River? Clematis ligusticfolia. Timber Press books always prints quality books, and this one is well worth the price.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Peacock 'corset' vest. The pattern claims it's a corset, but it's not boned and ties with ribbon, so I'd say it doesn't quite qualify. Cotton fashion fabric (I can't remember for sure, it may well be a quilter's cotton), muslin interlining and quilter's cotton lining. Bias trim made from metallic gold fabric that seems to be mostly cotton.